Our Love between the Stars
by KBetz
Summary: Sarah, now 19 and in college, feels as if she's lost her purpose in life. One night, she wishes to be taken away from her current lifestyle, and to be taken to the happier place she visited many years ago. After being brought back to the labyrinth, Sarah reunites with her friends, makes new foes, and tries to mend her broken relationship with the King who took her breath away.
1. Chapter 1

Hey everyone! I've been out of the fanfiction writing business for awhile. However, I recently watched Labyrinth for the FIRST TIME (I know, I'm so behind the times), and I really fell in love with it. I fell in love with it so much, I decided it was time to get back into fanfiction and write a story about Jareth and Sarah. With everything that has gone on lately with the passing of David Bowie (may he rest in peace) and the stressful college lifestyle I live, I figured writing would be a good way to unwind and have some happy time. Like I said, I haven't wrote in awhile, so the story may be a little rusty in the beginning. Please feel free to leave any feedback; whether you like it or not! I like constructive criticism. (Just don't be mean. haha ;D) Like I said, I'm currently in college and have a super busy schedule this semester. I'm aiming to upload at least one chapter a week, hopefully on Fridays or Saturdays, but it's hard to tell until I get into writing. I don't agree with plagiarism so if anything in my story sounds like something from another story, it's PURELY coincidental and I promise I did not do it on purpose. I (obviously) do not own the rights to Labyrinth. Those belong to Jim Henson (obviously). So sit back, enjoy my story, and feel free to comment. Love ya. J

 **Chapter 1**

 _I move the stars for no one;_

 _No one but thee._

 _Why do you run from me?_

 _I can see the pain in your eyes_

 _As you run and hide from love._

 _But please realize, you precious, little dove_

 _That everything I do is for you_

 _And tha-_

 _"Precious little dove"? Why did I even think that sounded okay?_ Sarah clicked her pen and scribbled over the sixth stanza. She sighed and looked up at the clock.

1:48

Sarah pursed her lips and slumped back into her chair. She pushed her long, brown hair behind her ear and looked at her fellow classmates. They frantically wrote in their booklets, trying to write down all they could with the remaining two minutes of class. Sarah looked back to her booklet and flicked through the pages. She was confident that her 5 pages on the importance of romance in literature was superb. She was also impressed by her analysis of three romantic poems, and knew Professor Henson would be quite pleased with it. She turned to the last page of the booklet, and stared at the unfinished poem she had started. Sarah frowned, looking at it in disapproval.

The free-write poem was optional for the final, but Sarah, being the studious and ambitious student she was, attempted to write something. However, she could never think of something romantic or clever after the second stanza, and would find herself in deep thought of _him._

Over the past few months, she had been thinking of Jareth quite often. She hadn't thought of him for many years; she _tried_ not to think of him for many years. Jareth had taken her brother from her, and Sarah didn't want to remember the horror and worry she felt when Toby was gone; not to mention Jareth didn't know how to respect her. He says he cared about her, but the offerings he made were neither kind nor loving. "'Let me rule you…'?" No one rules anyone in a healthy relationship. Sarah rolled her eyes as she remembered his words. However, she couldn't help but think her repression of memories with Jareth was based on something else. After he took Toby, and even after he stated his demeaning offers, she could never come to terms with calling the king evil or wretched; and that concerned her. Any human would be considered evil or wretched after all of that…wouldn't they?

Sarah jumped and snapped out of her trance as the timer in Professor Henson's room went off.

"Alright everyone. Pens down," Professor Henson clicked the timer off. He stood up from his chair and walked around to the front of his desk. He leaned against it as his students handed him their test booklets. "I should have your finals graded by Thursday. Come by my office if you want to know how you did. If you don't want to come by, that's cool too," Professor Henson grinned. "Have a great summer everyone!" Professor Henson stacked the booklets and smiled as his favorite pupil approached him.

"Hey, Sarah! How was it?" He asked, taking her booklet.

"It wasn't too complex. I have a feeling I did pretty well." Sarah smiled shyly and handed him her final. Professor Henson flicked through the pages, glancing at each page. He was nodding in approval, until he came to the last page. He froze for a few seconds, then turned the booklet towards her.

"What's up with this?" Professor Henson questioned, pointing at the nearly blank free-write page. Sarah sighed and crossed her arms.

"Well um…I don't know," she shrugged her shoulders. In reality, she knew why. Her mind kept coming back to Jareth. Her mind was so wrapped up in him that she couldn't concentrate on anything else. She bit her lip, trying to come up with an excuse. "I just had really bad writer's block." Sarah forced a smile on her face. Professor Henson looked at her with suspicious eyes, and Sarah could feel the cold, intense stare upon her. _Shit. He's giving me that look. Change the subject._

"Anyways! Do you know what ti-"

"You had 'really bad writer's block'," Professor Henson cocked his head to the side as her quoted her sarcastically. Sarah half-smiled, readjusting her backpack on her shoulders. Professor Henson walked behind his desk and took a seat. He looked at her. "Sarah, you and I both know you never have writer's block. Even if you don't know what to write, you still write _something,"_ he told her as his fingers tapped the desk. "You always have something to write. That's what makes you such a great student and writer. _"_

Sarah nodded her head. Professor Henson was right; for the most part anyways. For as long as he knew her, Sarah had never experienced writer's block. He began teaching her her freshman year of college. It was now the last day of her junior year of college, and he knew very well what kind of student she was. What he didn't know, however, was that her mind was occupied with distant memories; the memories of a man she knew long ago. Sarah blinked and cleared her throat.

"I'm sorry, Professor Henson. I've just had a lot on my mind lately," she hesitated. She wasn't going to tell her professor what was really on her mind. She chewed the inside of her cheek and continued. "about…my future and such."

"Are you _worried_ about your future, Miss Williams? You really have no reason to be," Professor Henson assured her. "You finish all of your assignments on time. You go above and beyond with everything. Hell, you're only 19 and have already taken so many credit hours, you're considered a junior in college. Well," he bobbed his head back in forth in consideration, "technically you're now a senior since you've just finished your last final of junior year. That's beside the point, though." Professor Henson leaned forward in his chair. "Don't let school stress you out. Have fun. You're young. And now the semester is over. You can go out with friends and go on vacations and such. You're still going to take this summer off from classes, right?" Professor Henson questioned, his eyebrow arching as he awaited an answer.

Sarah nodded her head and smiled shyly. "Yes. I am. My parents wanted me to. I don't really know why, but they did."

"Well, Sarah, you've been taking classes year around since you got into college. I'm sure they just want you to have fun."  
 _My parents want me to have fun? Yeah, right._

"I'm sure you're right, Professor Henson," Sarah grinned as wide as she could. Professor Henson smiled in return and looked down at his watch.

"Well, I better get to grading these. I have a dinner tonight with Professor Adams about the study abroad program in England," he stated, standing up from his chair. The two walked out of the room and Professor Henson pulled out his keys. "Are you going to join us once you get into grad school? Every English graduate I've advised or taught loved it," Professor Henson said as he locked the classroom door.

Sarah shrugged her shoulders. "Um, yeah. I'm thinking about it. It sounds cool."

"Oh, it is cool. You get to experience a whole new culture and make new friends along the way." Professor Henson smiled and Sarah smiled in return. "Well I'll see you next semester, Sarah. Email me if you have any questions about classes or anything that has to do with your major!"

"Sure thing, Professor." Sarah smiled and gave Professor Henson a small salute. Professor Henson waved and made his way down the corridor to his office. Sarah sighed as her shoulders slumped. She began slugging down the hallway. The semester was now over. No more classes. No more homework. No more stressing. Any normal college student would be ecstatic. Not Sarah, though. It seemed like the only thing she was good at or even remotely enjoyed was school. Going to school gave her an excuse to stay away from her parents. They lived an hour and a half away, so she had no choice but to live out on her own. Going to school also gave her _some_ sort of purpose. She enjoyed literature and writing, so majoring in English was the right way to go. However, she still felt as if she was missing something in her life. Yes, she was going to college and majoring in something she loved, but deep down inside, she still wasn't content.

Maybe it was because she was lonely. She had no friends. She had tried, and to an extent, she did make friends. However, they weren't _friends._ Sarah didn't connect with them. It's like there was some kind of missing element that kept her from wanting to get close to the people. So after many attempts at making friends, she just gave up completely. It didn't really bother her though. She was always so wrapped up in schoolwork that she wouldn't have time for a social life anyways. The only friend she really had was Toby, and she didn't get to see him that often.

Sarah exited the building and into the parking lot. There was still some packing she needed to finish. She had no desire to see her parents so she kept putting the packing off. The only good thing about being home again was that she got to visit with Toby. She sighed as she reached her car and opened the door. She plopped down inside and leaned her head against the steering wheel.

 _Maybe they won't want me to stay home for long. Or maybe they'll go on some exotic trip like they always do and leave me and Toby alone. That would be great._

Sarah sat upright and buckled her seatbelt, and proceeded to put her keys in the ignition. As she turned the keys she looked up into her rearview mirror, and in that moment, she could feel her heart skip a beat. In the mirror, looking right back at her, was Jareth. He was standing behind her car and staring at her with his enchanting eyes and that devious, smug smile. Sarah couldn't believe it. She was frozen in her car seat. _Holy hell. Is that really him? It can't be – but…it must be him._ She tore her eyes away from his gaze and shot out of the car. She opened her mouth to confront him, but as she was about to say her first word, she realized he was gone. Sarah spun around frantically as she inspected every person in the parking lot. She took a few steps back and ran her hand through her hair as she tried to understand what was going on. _He's gone. Where did he go? Where did he come from? Was he even really here?_ She took a deep breath and lowered herself slowly into her car. She buckled back into her seat and backed out of the parking spot. Sarah rolled the windows down and let fresh air into her vehicle as she tried to calm herself down. "I'm going insane," she mumbled to herself. She made her way out of the parking lot and passed a large oak tree before turning onto the main road. As she drove off, a white owl observed Sarah from the tree, and kept his intense gaze on her until her car disappeared into the distance.

So that's my first chapter! I hope it's not too slow. First chapters are always tricky because it's the beginning and you have to establish everything. Please feel free to comment and such! It means a lot to me if you do. J


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Sarah opened the door to her parents' house and crossed the threshold.

"Dad? Irene?" She dropped her bags onto the floor and peeked her head around the hallway. Toby popped his head out from the kitchen and smiled with excitement at the sight of his sister.

"Sarah!" Toby exclaimed. Like many 7-year-olds he was full of energy, and he sprinted at Sarah full speed. Sarah grinned and squatted on the floor with her arms wide open. Toby embraced her and hugged her tightly.

"Hey there, kiddo! How was school?" She asked as he pushed his blonde hair back.

"It was cool! We learned about planets. Look!" Toby grabbed Sarah's hand and dragged her into the kitchen. He pointed to the fridge that bestowed a picture of a crudely drawn Saturn. "That's my favorite planet, Saturn! Isn't it awesome?" He looked up at Sarah with such joyful eyes. Sarah smiled as she admired her brother. Children always found the smallest things to be enthusiastic about. If only she could be a kid again. It seemed like she was always smiling and happy about something back then. Toby noticed Sarah was now frowning and he grabbed her hand tighter. "Sarah, are you okay? Do you not like my drawing?" He pouted.

Sarah snapped back to reality and shook her head. "Oh, no Toby! I love it!" She hugged him and rustled his hair. She pinched the collar of his dark green shirt. "Why are you still in this thing?" she asked as she eyed his school uniform up and down. The thing looked dreadfully uncomfortable; especially for a kid. A button up shirt. Khakis. A thick, obnoxious white sweater vest. _What the hell is up with private schools?_ Sarah thought to herself. "Go upstairs and change into something more comfy! I'll take you to the park, if you want."

"Yeah!" Toby shook his head up in down in pure excitement then charged down the hallway. Sarah giggled as she watched her brother go up the stairs. She looked out the kitchen window and saw her father and step-mother sitting on the patio. She inhaled deeply, preparing herself to talk to her parents, and walked outside. Her father heard the door click shut and turned around to see who it was.

"Sarah, sweetheart! Hey!" Her father waved and stood up from the wicker couch he and his wife were lounging on.

"Hey, dad." Sarah gave a small smile as she accepted a hug from her father.

"Come on, sit down." Robert guided her over to where they were sitting. Sarah lowered herself onto a large wicker chair across from her parents. She crossed her legs and observed their luscious, well-groomed yard.  
"Would you like any iced tea?" Irene asked as she cuddled up to her husband.

Sarah looked back to her parents. "Oh. No, I'm good. Thanks, though," she gave her a quick smile.

"How were your finals?" she asked. She took a sip of her iced tea as she waited for Sarah's response.

"They were good. I studied a week in advance for all of them. I'll be surprised if I make a B or lower on any of them."

"Hey, that's great!" Robert exclaimed. He raised his glass of tea. "Here's to my genius girl." Irene raised her glass and the two toasted, taking a sip in honor of their daughter.

"It must be nice taking a break from school. Any plans for the summer?" Irene asked.

Sarah shook her head back and forth. "I have nothing planned so far. Maybe I'll go somewhere. But, I don't know." Sarah brought her legs up into the chair and sat criss-cross.

Robert sat his glass down on the coffee table and rested his arm around his wife. "Oh okay, good. That's what we were hoping to hear."

Sarah's eyes darted to her father and she let out a confused laugh. "What um…what do you mean that's what 'we were hoping to hear'?"

Robert cleared his throat and rubbed his chin. "Well, my new boss owns a villa in Italy. He usually goes and stays there every summer, but his wife is undergoing medical treatments. Long story short, he can't go, and he asked if me and Irene would like to stay there for some time."

 _Called it. Of course they're going on some fancy vacation, and without Toby or me or the both of us. At least I don't have to deal with them for a couple weeks or so._ Sarah sighed and shrugged her shoulders. "Well, how long are you two going to be gone? Two weeks?"

Robert bit his lip and shook his head slowly. Sarah raised her eyebrow, "A month?" she questioned again.

Robert and Irene exchanged glances. Robert cleared his throat. "Well, actually, we're going to be gone for three months...the entire summer."

Sarah's jaw dropped and her eyebrows furrowed. "The whole summer? Who's going to watch Toby the-," she stopped talking and closed her eyes. She gritted her teeth together as she rubbed her temple in realization. "Is this why you two wanted me to take a semester off from school? So I could BABYSIT!?" Sarah raised her voice as she stood up from her chair. Robert raised his hand defensively.

"Now, Sarah, sweet-"

"DON'T CALL ME SWEETHEART, DAD! If you couldn't tell, I'm severely pissed! The last thing I want is for you to 'now sweetheart' me," she mocked her father as she gave him a stern look. "Did you guys not even think about _my_ feelings? What if I had some vacation planned already?" Her parents sat quietly and she could feel her blood pressure rise. "I wanted to continue with my classes this summer. I didn't want to take a break at all. But you know what? I did, because you two demanded it! And all for what? For me to be stuck at home the entire summer looking after my brother?!" She clasped her hands together and took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "I love Toby. I really do. And I don't mind looking after him. But for the _entire_ summer? It's ridiculous. Why couldn't you two have hired a nanny? Or sent him off with cousins? Or – here's a grand idea – brought your son with you!" She looked back and forth at her parents, waiting for a response. Nothing. She licked her lips and gave a smug laugh. "You know, it's funny. I thought you two might change when I went to college; that you would both respect me and my wishes, and that you would include your children more in your lives."

Robert twiddled his thumbs as Irene messed with her hair. Neither of them spoke. Sarah felt tears come to her eyes. "I guess that's something that will never change." She looked inside the house and saw Toby at the bottom of the stairs, tying his tennis shoes. She inhaled deeply and exhaled, trying to relax her shaking body. "I'm taking Toby to the park. Don't worry about making dinner for us. I'm taking him out," Sarah coldly told them. She marched inside the house, slamming the door behind her.

Sarah watched as Toby swung back and forth on the swing set. His giggles filled the air, and Sarah couldn't help but smile hearing them. She had missed Toby so much while she was away. It made her happy to be reunited with him, but at the same time, it hurt her. Her younger brother was such a well-behaved and intelligent kid. He deserved to go on vacations and experience new things. The sad thing was, the last vacation Toby ever went on was when he was 4. Their parents went on a number of vacations every year without their children. The fact that her parents could be so cruel to Toby made her blood boil. Sarah tapped her foot frantically on the ground as she tried to contain her anger.

Yes, she loved her brother; she loved him to pieces. And she loved taking care of him. What she didn't love, though, was the fact that her parents expected her to look after him for three months. They waited until the last moment to tell her she was going to be babysitting the entire summer. Sarah chewed on her bottom lip and watched Toby from afar as thoughts flooded her mind. _What if I already had plans to go somewhere this summer? There's no way in hell I would cancel my plans to fit around their schedule. But then again, what would they do with Toby? Would they just expect me to give everything up to look after him?_ Sarah shook her head and scoffed. _Of course they would. They don't care. All they care about is themselves._ Sarah frowned and picked at her nails. She felt so down and hopeless. She never imagined her college life would involve her _still_ being a slave for her parents. Her vision became blurry as tears came to her eyes.

"Dammit," she cursed under her breath. She sniffled and opened up her purse to the right of her. Items clacked together as she dug around searching for a pack of tissues. "Where are they?" she asked herself, becoming more and more impatient. She was rummaging through her purse when all of a sudden, there was a large bang from the other side of the bench. Sarah snapped back in surprise. "Oh shit!" she gasped as her heart thumped against her chest. She placed her hand over her heart and turned around to see what caused all of the commotion.

As she turned, her eyes met those of a white owl, who was sitting on the other side of the bench. Sarah furrowed her eyebrows and stared at the creature, not really knowing how to react. _Why is he even here? I thought owls usually came out at night._ The owl sent a chill down Sarah's spine as it kept its gaze on her, not breaking it for second. She felt uneasy and flicked her arm towards it. "Well go on! Get out of here!" she shooed. The owl jumped back a bit, but stood its ground and kept its intense stare on her. Sarah rolled her eyes and looked up at the sky. "You've got to be kidding me right now," she groaned and rubbed her forehead. She turned and looked at the owl once again. It struck her as odd that the bird was perfectly content, and seemed okay with being close to humans. She shifted her body so it was facing the owl and she stared intensely at the creature. Sarah felt her body relax as she focused on its mesmerizing eyes. The desire to touch the mysterious bird slowly washed over her, and she reached her hand slowly towards the owl.

As her hand was about to touch its head, the bird opened up his wings and took off. Sarah gasped and watched the mysterious owl take off. It soared around a large oak tree and swooped down behind a fountain a few yards away. Sarah bobbed her head back and forth, searching for the owl. She squinted as she focused on the fountain, waiting for the bird to take flight again. There was movement behind the fountain and something now appeared, but this time, it was not the owl. Sarah lost her breath as soon as she recognized the figure.

"Jareth…" she whispered to herself. He stared at her with that charming smile and it made her weak, even from a distance. _It's him; again. Am I going crazy or is he really here?_ Sarah asked herself frantically as she kept her eyes locked on the king. Her heart was beating a million miles a minute. She couldn't move her lips – or her body for that matter. Jareth raised his arm and extended it away from himself. He opened up his hand, inviting Sarah to come grab it with her own. Sarah gulped as she stared at his gesture, not sure how to react.

"Sarah! I'm hungry!" Toby exclaimed as he hopped up on the bench beside her. Sarah tore her eyes away from Jareth and onto Toby.

"Uh, okay, okay." Sarah muttered as she tried to gather her thoughts. "What, um…what do you want to eat?" She asked him. She looked back to the fountain and was surprised to see it solitary. Sarah's eyes wandered around the park, looking for the disappearing man. _What the hell is going on? I know I saw him. I know it. Unless I'm just that crazy._ Sarah thought to herself as she tried to wrap her brain around what was going on.

"Sarah? Did you hear me?" Toby asked as he poked her.

Sarah snapped back to reality and looked at her younger brother. "I'm sorry, Toby. I didn't. What did you say?" she questioned as her eyes still wandered around them. Toby noticed her moving eyes and followed them.

"Are you okay?" Toby asked with a concerned tone. Sarah looked at her brother and noticed his confused and slightly scared expression. She closed her eyes and sighed loudly.

"Yeah, I'm okay. I just…thought I saw someone I knew. That's all," she smiled at him and picked up her purse. "So what do you wanna go eat, kiddo?" she stood up and grabbed Toby's hand. Toby stood up and the two made their way down the sidewalk.

"Pizza!" Toby exclaimed. The concerned tone in his voice was now non-existent. Sarah laughed and swung their interlocked hands back and forth.

"Sounds good to me!" She cheered and glanced at her surroundings. She was still disoriented from what she saw today. She was becoming rather worried. What if the Jareth she kept seeing wasn't real, but was all just an illusion? That meant she was going crazy. But, what if the Jareth she kept seeing was actually him? Well obviously that meant she was sane. If that were the case, however, then why was he appearing in the first place?

And that's chapter 2! I wanted to get further along in the story but this chapter is already decently long and if I wanted to continue, it would have been ridiculously long. I figured it was a good place to stop. However, things will start going down next chapter! I plan on working on it as soon as possible, either tonight or tomorrow. A HUGE thank you to everyone who favorited, followed, and reviewed the story! I seriously appreciate it so much. Love you all. 3


	3. Chapter 3

_Hey everyone! Here's long awaited chapter 3. I wanted to finish it earlier but school has been so crazy lately (not a good idea to take chemistry and human anatomy at the same time). I made it longer than previous chapters! Let me know if they need to be even longer though. So sit back and enjoy! Feedback and all that stuff is always welcome. :)_

 **Chapter 3**

The tv screen went in and out of focus as Sarah fought to stay awake on the couch. It was only 8pm, but she was exhausted after today. It was Toby's last day of school, and to celebrate, she took him and a few of his friends to the zoo. Needless to say, she was absolutely worn out and could barely stand to stay awake. Sarah's heavy eyes shut as she reminisced about the zoo trip, but shot right back open as she heard suitcases slam onto the wood floor. She sat up drowsily and squinted, looking into the bright-lighted foyer.

Irene slid her shoes on as Robert accounted for all of their suitcases. Sarah rolled her eyes and flopped back down onto the couch. It had been about two weeks since the argument with her parents and there was still a great deal of tension between them. Her parents, like always, acted like the situation never happened. Sarah, on the other hand, was cold and distant, and only talked to them when they talked to her. She was fed up with them and their narcissistic ways, and was somewhat glad they were finally leaving on their vacation. Footsteps approached the living room and stopped behind the couch.

"Sarah? Are you awake?" Robert questioned softly. Sarah rolled her eyes.

"Yes, dad. I'm awake." She told him, keeping her eyes on the television. Robert came around the couch and sat down beside her.

"I wasn't too sure. You looked pretty worn out when you got home. I figured you'd be in bed by now," he looked down at his watch. "Toby's knocked out. We woke him up to tell him bye and he went right back to sleep as soon as we started walking towards the door."

"Doesn't surprise me. We're both exhausted from today," Sarah mumbled. Irene walked into the living room.

"Okay, I'm all ready to go!" She claimed ecstatically. She came around to the couch and pet Sarah's head. "Are you going to bed soon?" she questioned.

Sarah rolled her eyes. _Why does it matter what I'm doing? You two act like you care so much. But of course you guys would act like that right when you are about to leave._ She sat up and brought her knees to her chest. "Yeah, I'm going to go lay in bed when you two leave. There's nothing good on tv anyways."

Robert stood up and gave Sarah a peck on the head. "You go do that, sweetheart. When we land at the airport I'll see if I can call you. Not exactly sure what time it'll be here, but I'll understand if you don't pick up."

Irene stepped over and also gave her a goodbye kiss on the head. "We'll send you and Toby lots of postcards! And we'll try to call as much as we can. It'll be hard to call internationally. But if there's any kind of emergency, let Mr. Collins know – his number is on the fridge – and he'll find a way to get in contact with us."

Sarah forced a small smile. "Okay, yeah," she told them curtly. Robert wrapped his arm around Irene's waist and the two made their way out of the living room. They picked up their bags and made their way outside.

"We love you! Have fun while we're gone!" Robert called out as he was halfway out the door.

"Oh, trust me, I –" the door shut loudly, and with that, they were gone. "- won't," Sarah finished her sentence and licked her lips in frustration. "Guess they couldn't wait any longer to abandon us," she mumbled and stood up from the couch. She walked over to the tv and clicked it off, then made her way upstairs. She stopped in front of the bedroom to the right of hers and quietly opened it, poking her head inside. Toby was still sound asleep, snuggling Sarah's old teddy bear, Lancelot. He always loved that thing; even before he could talk. She smiled as she remembered the day she left for college. Toby told her he'd keep an eye on Lancelot for her while she was away. She chuckled to herself as she gazed at her little brother. "Goodnight, Toby. I love you," she whispered quietly.

Sarah slowly closed the door and made her way into her own bedroom. She turned on a lamp resting on her nightstand and flopped down onto the bed. _I can't remember the last time I was this exhausted_. She yawned and looked at the wall beside her. Some of her old stuffed animals still resided in the cubbies, and some posters were still plastered on the walls. She gazed around the rest of the room, realizing how empty it looked.

There was a bookcase in the corner of her room that was filled with dozens of books; some from her childhood as well as her teenage years. She sighed as she realized how barren her room was. When she was fifteen, she had a never-ending stock pile of stuffed animals and creatures that inhabited her room. She had taken them to a donation center years ago, and hopefully they were some kids' companions now. Her closet was once flooded with costumes that she'd use to reenact plays. Now her closet was nearly empty, the only clothes residing in there being old jeans and worn out t-shirts.

Sarah's depressed eyes wandered over to her old vanity. The thing used to be filled with all kinds of pictures, trinkets, and a lifetime supply of makeup. She couldn't believe it was completely clean and empty now. As she stared at the vanity, she could feel her heart ache deep inside of her. She thought of the day her room, and even life, completely changed:

It had been about a year since her journey to the labyrinth, and over those past few months, she had realized that something deep inside of her had changed. Sarah had talked to her beloved friends, Hoggle, Ludo, and Sir Didymus, from the labyrinth often after she left; almost every day. But as the year drug on, she realized she began to distance herself from them, and one day they stopped appearing. It wasn't that they didn't want to see her – she was almost positive about that – but rather, it was her who didn't want to see them. She didn't know what it was, but the longer she was away from the labyrinth and in her world, the more she changed.

One day, as she sat in front of her vanity, it was like she had a self-intervention. She was back in the real world. As much as she hated it, her step-mother was right: she needed to be doing things people her age did; she needed to _act_ like people her age. Sarah had programmed into her brain that it was time to grow up and act mature. She felt her heart ache deep inside of her, but she knew it was what she needed to do. She had to stop living in a fantasy world. She remembered tossing almost all of her stuffed animals into a trash bag, along with her fairytale costumes she adored. She remembered throwing the makeup off of the vanity and shattering the goblin figurine that sat on the edge of it.

Sarah's flood of memories of that night ceased as she remembered the goblin figurine she once had. _Jareth._ The figurine used to remind her of the king ever since she had returned from the labyrinth. With each day that had went by, it was harder and harder to look it, and it frustrated her that it did. Looking back at it now, she was glad she had destroyed it. She hated thinking about Jareth. However, as much as she hated thinking about him, her mind wandered from the trinket to the goblin king himself.

Sarah hadn't seen Jareth since his appearance at the park. She stared at the ceiling in deep thought. "Why hasn't he shown up again?" she asked herself. She rolled her blue eyes and scoffed. "Why should I even care he hasn't shown up again? I don't want to see him anyways," she mumbled to herself. As she finished her sentence, a book flew from the bookcase and came crashing down onto the floor. Sarah gasped as she scrambled back against her bed frame. "What the hell?!" She looked suspiciously at the book as her heart pounded against her chest. She stood up from her bed and walked wearily towards the bookcase, her heart still fluttering fast. She stopped in front of the book and observed it for a minute, looking between it and the bookcase. "How did you fall out of the case? Or… _fly_ out?" She questioned as she picked the book up. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up as she read the title. _The Labyrinth._

Sarah swallowed hard and flicked through the pages of the long-forgotten book. Her brows furrowed as she realized some of the pages had pictures and she found herself greatly confused. The book never had any types of pictures – until now. Sarah stopped on a random page and felt her heart skip a beat. She gasped quietly as she looked at a portrait of Jareth, his piercing eyes staring right into hers. She looked away from the book as she tried to gather her thoughts. _What is going on? Am I delusional?_ She looked back down at the book and was taken aback. Jareth's portrait was replaced with two sentences. _Yep; definitely delusional_ she thought to herself. She read the words that resided on the page.

 _Your heart yearns for something, it's easy to see._

 _Turn the page, dear Sarah, and you will discover what your heart truly needs._

Sarah bit her lip as she studied the page. She was genuinely confused as to what was going on. She read the two sentences over and over again, trying to make sense of it. They were really there on the page; she wasn't imagining them. She exhaled and slowly turned the page, not entirely sure of what she was going to see next. Sarah found herself smiling at the new page and her heart felt warm.

"Ludo…" she said softly. Her fingers traced over a picture of the gentle giant. He was sitting on the ground by a river, looking happy as ever. She missed her old friend. He was always so kind and thoughtful - more kind and thoughtful than any other human Sarah knew. She looked from the portrait of Ludo to the page opposite of his and read a solitary sentence.

 _Continue reading, dear Sarah, and you will find more joy to fill your heart._

She turned the page and discovered a picture of Sir Didymus. He had his hands on his hips and was looking at Ambrocious, who had managed to hide in a rather small tree trunk. Sarah giggled as she remembered how cowardly Ambrocious was. It killed Sir Didymus, but he loved his companion no matter what. She could only dream of being as loyal and dedicated as Sir Didymus. He was truly an amazing friend. Sarah gave a small smile as she remembered her friend and looked to the right page. Another solitary sentence was written on the page.

 _There is still more joy to be discovered, dear Sarah._

Sarah turned the page once again. There was a picture of Hoggle sitting in a forest, relaxing and admiring his collection of precious jewels. She smiled warmly at the picture as she remembered his love for jewels. "You always loved jewelry. No matter if it was real gems or not," Sarah murmured as she ran her fingertips alongside the pages. Her smile disappeared as she felt sorrow and heartache run over her. This was the first time she had really thought about her friends in years, much less see some kind of visual of them. It made her realize just how much she missed them. Looking at the book was nostalgic and she yearned to see more of her long-forgotten friends. She looked to the page opposite of Hoggle's portrait.

Nothing. Nothing was written at all. Sarah flicked to the next page, expecting to see another happy picture. Another blank page. She became frantic and flipped through the book. All blank. _Maybe there's nothing else,_ she thought to herself, and she went back to the previous pages she had already looked. Sarah's stomach flipped as she realized, there was nothing on the previous pages; no pictures, no words – nothing. She gritted her teeth in frustration as her vision became blurry from tears. She firmly grasped the book and made her way towards her bed, her feet dragging across the floor. She sat down and flipped through the book again, still not entirely convinced that the book was absent of her fond memories.

There was nothing. Sarah placed the book onto her nightstand and shut her eyes tightly. She never realized how much she missed them, or how much she even needed them. They were the greatest friends she ever had. She never connected with anyone the same way she connected with them. Tears rolled down her cheeks and she laid back onto her bed, bringing her knees up to her chest. She hated this world. Yes, she had Toby, but that was the only thing she really cared about. She felt so lonely and depressed in this world. In the labyrinth, with her companions, she felt like she was home. She was truly happy. Sarah sniffled as she wiped away her tears. "I miss you all so much. I wish I could see you again. I wish…" Sarah hesitated as she remembered all those years ago; the night she made a wish and it changed her life. She bit her lip and continued, "I wish I could be taken back to the labyrinth. I just want to see my friends again."

She held her breath and shut her eyes tightly, waiting – hoping – that something would happen. That she would be whisked away to the labyrinth. Or that she could hear a friend's gentle voice greet her. After many minutes, though, there was still complete silence. She slowly peeked her eyes open. She felt her heart sink when all she saw was her empty room. She sighed and stared at the ceiling as she fought to keep her eyes open from exhaustion. As she dozed off, she dreamt of the day she could reunite with Hoggle, Ludo, and Sir Didymus.

The night sky was absolutely beautiful. There were no clouds in sight and the stars flooded they sky. The moon was full and bright and cast a strong light into Sarah's bedroom. The flood of light illuminated Jareth's face as he stepped forward towards her bed. He studied her from where he stood. She was laying down with her back turned to Jareth, her long brown hair the only piece of her that was visible from outside the comforter. He gazed at her with a crooked smile. He walked forward to her bed and extended his neck, trying to get a peek of her face. He gazed at her face, smiling at her soft and beautiful complexion. She definitely matured since her adventure to the labyrinth.

"My, my, dear Sarah. You're even more gorgeous than I expected," he stated as he admired her. Sarah turned from her side onto her back, still sound asleep. Jareth gently cleared his throat and caressed her cheek. "Sarah, you have a guest," he murmured. Her eyes remained close, her heavy breathing still consistent. Jareth glared at her, already impatient. He pointed his hand towards her window and whisked his fingers. The window shot open and slammed against the wall, a loud bang echoing through her room. Sarah sat up immediately and her eyes landed on the goblin king who stood right beside her. She screamed at the sight of the unexpected visitor and scrambled against the wall beside her bed.

"What the fuck!" she cried out as she pounded her fists into the bed.

Jareth gave her a mildly shocked expression. "Watch the foul language, young lady," he said sarcastically.

Her chest expanded and shrank rapidly as she tried to catch her breath. "I think I have the right to curse when an _intruder_ appears in my bedroom!"

Jareth laughed, "I'm no intruder," he spun around and studied her room. "Actually, you should be calling me your hero," he smirked as he looked closely at the posters on her wall.

Sarah's forehead scrunched in confusion. "Wh-what the hell is that supposed to mean? You know what; nevermind. I don't want to know," she rubbed her temple. As Jareth inspected her book collection, she let out a hysterical laugh. He turned and looked at her with an amused expression on his face.

"Is something funny?"

"Uh, yeah," Sarah nodded her head up and down as she gazed at the ceiling. She grabbed her hair and pulled it. "I'm going _insane_! I mean, I keep seeing you. But, you aren't really here. You're just an illusion." She stood up from her bed and approached Jareth, putting her face close to his. "Why the hell won't you leave me alone?" she whispered. Jareth pursed his lips as he looked her up and down. Sarah stared at him, waiting for the illusion to speak to her. She exhaled loudly in annoyance. "Well? Why won't you leave me alone?!" she yelled. Jareth continued to stare at her, remaining silent. Sarah scoffed and licked her lips. "Why am I even trying to talk to you? You aren't even real," she mumbled. She turned and started heading back to her bed when a hand reached out and grabbed hers. Jareth spun her around and their chests collided with one another.

"Now Sarah, if I were just an illusion, I would not have been able to do that," he told her with a smug. Sarah looked at him with bewildered eyes, her chest still against his. Jareth raised his eyebrows, "I also would not have been able to open your window, but you can clearly see that window is wide open." Sarah's eyes trailed over to the window, her mind racing. She slowly looked back at him.

"You are real," she whispered. She backed away from him, crossing her arms over her chest. Her face flushed red as she became angry. "Why are you here? Why did you keep showing up a few weeks ago? Are you stalking me?" she rambled as the questions spilled out. Jareth smiled and laughed. Sarah looked around the room, then looked back at Jareth with glaring eyes. "What's so damn funny?"

"I'm here because that's what you wanted, yes?"

Sarah's brows furrowed. "I _wanted_ you here? NO! I don't want you here!"

Jareth tisked his finger and smirked. "Now don't lie, Sarah. A few hours ago, before you went to sleep, you wished to be taken back to the labyrinth. I'm here to fulfil that wish."

Sarah stared at him, speechless. She had no idea what to say. Yes, she wanted to go back to visit her friends, but did she really think she would be taken there? Not at all, much less with her old foe. She scratched the back of her neck. "Well, I don't want to go anymore. So…you can leave." Sarah turned and crawled into her bed, pulling the covers over her and turning away from Jareth. He rolled his eyes and licked his lips in frustration. He approached her bed.

"But this is what you wanted; you wanted to be taken to the labyrinth. You _wished_ for it. I cannot deny wishes, Sarah."

"Well I don't want to go," she snapped. Jareth gritted his teeth in rage and threw his arm over Sarah's bed. The comforter flew off of her and into the corner of the room. Sarah sat up and looked at him with wide eyes. He leaned in close to her, their faces inches from one another.

"You have no choice but to come with me," he snarled.

"I told you I don't w-"

"Why have you changed your mind? Hm? You were so adamant about coming not long ago."

Sarah swallowed nervously and cleared throat. "I didn't think I would actually be taken back," she said quietly, looking down at her lap. She chewed her bottom lip then continued. "Out of all people, I never thought it would be you who would come and get me…I didn't want it to be." She finished her sentence. Jareth was silent with a blank expression on his face. She couldn't tell if he was angry or sad by her statement. For all she knew, he could have been indifferent towards it. After a few moments of silence, Jareth spoke up.

"I'm afraid you have no choice but to accompany me back to the labyrinth," he backed away from her and quickly pulsed his hand towards her light switch. Sarah squinted her eyes as the lights illuminated her room.

"I'm not leaving with you," she mumbled. Jareth turned around and looked at her with a thoughtful look. Sarah scowled at him. "What?" she asked curtly. He walked slowly towards her bed, his boots clacking with each individual step he took.

"3 months."

Sarah cocked her head in confusion. "'3 months'? What do you mean '3 months'?"

"Your parents are gone for about 3 months, aren't they?" Jareth questioned. Sarah's jaw dropped slightly.

"How…how do you-"

"They are gone for 3 months…yes, or no." Jareth repeated sternly. Sarah gulped as she hesitated. _How does he know that? He never answered me earlier as to why I kept seeing him. Maybe he really has been stalking me…_ Her thoughts were interrupted as Jareth cleared his throat. He arched his eyebrow, waiting for a response.

"Yes," she answered quietly. With that, Jareth smiled.

"Good. You will be staying with me for 3 months. You may return after those 3 months…if you wish," he smiled deviously. Sarah rubbed her forehead as she tried to process everything that was happening. She shook her head.

"No."

"No?"

"Yes, that's right. I said no."

Jareth laughed to himself and crossed his arms. "You have no right to say 'no' to me, Sarah." She opened her mouth to respond, prepared to say the last words she ever said to him in the labyrinth. Jareth stopped her. "No, no, no. 'You have no power over me' will not work this time," he scolded her with a smirk. "You _wished_ to be taken away. I'm simply fulfilling your wish. I'm not holding you captive. I agreed to let you come back to this world after 3 months. Now please, quit being so difficult." Sarah stared at him with complete hopelessness. _He really isn't going to let me go._ She inhaled deeply and rubbed her arms in comfort.

"I'll be able to return after the 3 months have passed?" She asked reassuringly. Jareth gave a nod in agreement. Sarah nodded and looked down at the ground. She snapped her head up and looked at her bedroom door. _Toby._

"What's the matter?" Jareth asked, a hint of irritation in his voice.

"It's…it's Toby. I can't just leave him here," she said. Jareth laughed at her response.

"Well of course he can't! He's coming with us as well."

Sarah looked at him suspiciously. "I don't want him to be around you."

Jareth ran his tongue over his teeth and headed towards her door. "We can't just leave him here alone though," he told her as he turned the knob. Sarah sprinted over to the door and stood between it and Jareth.

"Don't you dare touch him!" she demanded. She sighed as she accessed the situation. As much as she hated it, Jareth had the right idea of bringing him. She couldn't leave Toby alone. He had to come with them. She looked up at the king with disgust. "You listen to me: you do not touch him. You do not spend time alone with him - I must be with him at all times when you see him. Just…stay as far away from him as possible," she instructed sternly.

Jareth gave his head a nod and with that, Sarah made her way out of the room. She tiptoed down the hallway and slowly opened Toby's door, making sure to be as quiet as possible. She didn't want to wake him. Once they got to the labyrinth and he woke up, she planned to tell him something as to why they were there. She gingerly picked Toby up, making sure Lancelot didn't drop from his grasp. She reached her room and approached Jareth, who was gazing out the window. He turned around and looked at Toby, a slightly surprised look on his face.

"He's grown up so much," he stated, staring admiringly at the boy. Sarah pulled Toby closer to her and looked at Jareth with a smug look. He looked at Sarah and smiled that devious smile of his. "Let's go home."


	4. Chapter 4

_Hey everyone! Chapter 4 is FINALLY UP! I am seriously so sorry it took forever to write. I promise I'll try and be quicker. Tbh I don't really like this chapter because I feel like a lot doesn't happen, but I had to have a chapter that deals with Sarah and Toby settling in. So sorry if guys hate it! Please enjoy it as much as you can though! : )_

 **Chapter 4**

Jareth laid his hand gently on Sarah's shoulder and a gust of wind whirled through her room. She closed her eyes and kept Toby close to her, trying to make sure the breeze didn't waken him. The wind ceased as Jareth's hand released her and she opened her eyes. In front of her stood the castle of the Goblin kingdom.

"Home sweet home," Jareth cheered as he gestured towards the castle. He walked forward, his steps making a crunching sound against the gravel path. Sarah remained still, her gaze frozen on the castle. She was still shaken from all that was happening. Jareth turned and sighed at the zoned out girl. He walked back towards her. "Come now, Sarah," he placed his hand on the small of her back and forced her forward. Sarah flinched at his touch on the sensitive area. She snapped her head and scowled at the king.

"Don't touch me," she mumbled and pulled herself away from him. Sarah sighed and looked down at Toby. He was still sound asleep. She looked back up and observed her surroundings. It was hard to make out anything in the dark night. She could see the outline of well-groomed shrubberies, as well as some fountains here and there. She furrowed her brows. "This is part of the castle grounds?" she questioned, a hint of curiosity in her voice.

"Yes; the castle gardens, to be exact," Jareth answered with pride. "I don't believe you've ever seen this part of the grounds. You missed this beautiful scenery when you were last here," he said scornfully. Sarah rolled her eyes at his comment, then widened them as she was taken aback by the large, iron doors they approached. They were dark and rusted, and fit in with the medieval theme the castle had going for itself. On either side of the door stood two humanoid like creatures. They were about 6 feet tall and thick with muscle. Their skin was a greenish tint and was nearly completely covered in coarse black hair. The two creatures stood tall and crossed their rights arms over their chests.

"Your majesty," their deep voices hummed simultaneously. Jareth gave them a nod and the two guards put their arms back by their sides.

"Our special guests have arrived. Sarah, these are two of my many guards, Pold and Thort. Pold and Thort, this stunning young lady is Sarah, and the handsome lad she's holding is Toby." Jareth gestured his arm as he presented them. Pold and Thort crossed their arms over their chests again.

"Lady Sarah, Lord Toby; it is both an honor and a privilege to serve under you," the two beasts chanted. Sarah stared at them blankly then looked over at Jareth, who had a pleased expression on his face.

"U-um" she stuttered, not exactly sure what to say. She had never been treated like this before – like _royalty_. She shrugged her shoulders and cleared her throat. "Thanks…it was nice meeting you both," she said and gave them a warm smile. The two guards grabbed the rounded brass handles and pushed the doors open. Jareth and Sarah crossed over the threshold into what Sarah presumed to be the dining room. It was large and airy with dark stone walls. The room was decorated with brass structures hanging here and there, and was filled with many paintings of scenery. There was a large fireplace on one side of the room, and a large mirror on the opposite side. The dining table was incredibly large - large enough to hold about 50 people; maybe even more.

"As you have probably already noted, this is the dining hall," Jareth stated. He turned and gestured towards the direction in which they entered. "It has some of the best scenery in the castle. A beautiful sight into the garden," he grinned. The wall was filled with tall, gothic windows that gave those inside a breath-taking view of the garden. Sarah looked at the windows then to Jareth, giving him a quick smile in response.

"It's very nice," she stated numbly. Jareth pursed his lips and put his hands behind his back. He studied her with piercing eyes, and Sarah could feel how cold his stare was. Her eyes averted away from him and wandered over the room as she tried to make herself feel comfortable in the awkward situation. Jareth sharply cleared his throat, making her heart skip a beat.

"Let's continue," he told her. He walked briskly through the doors of the dining hall. Sarah trailed behind him and struggled to keep up as she tried to walk gently for Toby's sake. Her eyes darted everywhere as they journeyed through a long hallway. There was an endless amount of doors lining the walls and various different hallways branching off. _What could all of these rooms be full of?_ She wondered as she marched on. Jareth and Sarah halted as they reached a new area of the castle. It had a tall ceiling and grand candle chandelier hanging from the top of it, and was filled with many beautiful paintings. There was a large, tall door to the left of the room, and a double staircase to the right of the room.

"This is the main entrance of the castle," Jareth said as he made his way up the stairs. "Most of the rooms on the ground floor are meeting rooms and lounges and such, but the throne room, ballroom, and library, are on the ground floor as well."

Sarah's ears perked with intrigue. "Library?"

Jareth turned and looked at her with a crooked smile as he continued to climb the stairs. "Yes. I figured that would interest you. I know how much you appreciate literature."

Her eyes blinked rapidly as she ignored his comment. She cleared her throat and spoke. "Am I allowed to use it? I know I could get some use out of it while I'm here," _And it gives me something to do than be stuck by your side every moment of the day,_ she remarked to herself.

"I don't see why not. You're welcome to visit it anytime you wish," he stated. They reached the second floor and Jareth led them down the hallway that mimicked the hallways on the ground floor. They came to the end of the hall and Jareth stopped in front of the door to the left of them. He opened it and walked into the room, extending his arms away from himself as he presented it. "This is your room, my dear," he smiled. Sarah's jaw dropped as she entered the room. It was twice the size of her room back home and it was filled with beautiful tapestries and paintings. A queen size bed with a rosewood frame and a few wardrobes sat to the left of the room, while a small lounge consisting of a chaise longue and a couple chairs sat to the right.

"Oh my goodness," Sarah murmured. Jareth smiled at her.

"It's quite a room, isn't it?" he smirked. Sarah looked at him, their eyes locking together. She felt her heart beat a little faster as she gazed at the king. His eyes were hypnotizing. They brought her back to the time when Jareth and her danced. That moment had taken her to another world. It was like there was no one else around them; like it was just her and the mysterious, alluring king. No words could describe how magical that moment was. It was quite possibly the most intimate experience she ever had. Sarah continued to stare at Jareth, and his eyes twinkled, like he knew what she was thinking about. He slowly raised his hand and placed his fingertips gingerly onto the back of her arm. Sarah flinched and snapped out of his mesmerizing gaze as she pulled away from him. She felt anger flush over her.

"Please don't do that," she snapped. Jareth licked his lips in frustration. He knew he had over-stepped his boundary, but all he wanted was for this girl to be comfortable around him. She had built a wall and he knew it was going to be incredibly hard to break down. Sarah looked around the room as her eyes furrowed in confusion. "Are me and Toby sharing this room?" she questioned. Jareth sighed deeply.

"No, you are not. But not to worry, his room is very close to yours," he reassured her. Sarah looked towards the lounge area of her room and noticed a set of double doors.

"What do those doors lead to? Toby's room?" she stepped towards them. Jareth walked after her as his boots clicked against the stone floor.

"No, actually. That leads to my room," he stated. Sarah stopped and looked at him coldly.

"Our rooms are connected?" she scoffed and shook her head. "I don't want this room. Put me in another."

"I cannot do that, Sarah," he sighed.

"And why not?! Put me in the same room as Toby! Or any room that doesn't connect with yours," she demanded. Jareth got close to her and glared down upon her.

"Toby's room is not accustomed for two guests! The bed is big enough to fit one child. As for the other rooms, you cannot occupy them. They are bedrooms for other guests! This bedroom is made for special guests. _You_ are the special guest," he growled.

Sarah's breathing quivered at his aggression. She swallowed hard and looked down at Toby, who was miraculously still asleep. She exhaled softly and made herself look at Jareth. He scowled at her with gritted teeth, and Sarah became uncomfortable. She cleared her throat. "Where's Toby's room? I'd like to put him to bed," she said softly. Jareth gave her a nod and snapped his fingers. It echoed off the walls and two small creatures walked into the room.

"Yes, your highness?' the two women curtsied in unison.

"Crusa, please take Toby to his room and put him to bed," Jareth motioned towards the hallway. Crusa was a stocky goblin that stood at about 5 feet, with dark blue skin and two grey braids. She reached for Toby.

"Certainly, King Jareth," she answered. She smiled at Sarah and grasped Toby. "I'll take him, my lady. His room is right across from yours," she said, her voice reassuring and kind. Sarah looked at Toby and reluctantly handed him over to Crusa. Crusa took Toby into her remarkably strong arms and carried him out of the room. Jareth looked at the other goblin woman and gestured towards Sarah.

"Livia, if you could please get measurements of Sarah and find her some dresses to wear for now, that would be grand," Jareth smiled. Livia, who was also stocky and the same height as Crusa, had light-brown skin and a bun of black hair streaked with grey. Livia bowed her head.

"Yes, King Jareth. I'll get on it right away," she smiled and patted his hand. Jareth smiled back at her then looked at Sarah.

"I have to get on my way. There's a few matters I need to attend to. If there's anything you need, Livia will be of service to you," Jareth told Sarah. He placed his arms behind his back and made his way out of the room. Livia placed her hands on her hips and eyed Sarah up and down.

"Well, my lady, let's get started!" she cheered. She reached into the pocket of her apron and pulled out a measuring tape. She wrapped it around Sarah's hips and squinted her eyes as she read the numbers. "As King Jareth told you, I'm Livia. I'm ya personal maid. So anything ya want or need, I'll get it right to ya. Don't be afraid to ask, sweetheart," she grinned at Sarah as she moved on from her hips to her waist. Sarah gave her a small smile as she watched her measure.

"I suppose you're taking my measurements to make me a dress?" Sarah questioned.

"Not _a_ dress, my lady, but _dresses,_ " Livia corrected her. She stood up on her tiptoes and reached her arms up to Sarah's chest. "Arms up, please," she chirped. Sarah lifted her arms and looked at Livia.

"That's very sweet of you, Livia, but you don't need to make me any dresses. One dress is hard enough to make, much less multiple ones."

Livia laughed in response as she took the tape down from Sarah's chest. "Well what else do you expect to wear, my lady? You don't 'ave any clothes with ya," she said as she rolled her measuring tape up. Sarah's eyes widened as she suddenly realized she came here with nothing besides the clothes on her back.

"Oh my goodness. You're right," she made her way over to the chaise longue and flopped down. "This was all so…sudden. I didn't have any time to pack," she shook her head in disbelief.

"No need to worry, miss! There ought to be _some_ dresses in the wardrobe over 'ere that should fit ya! Your measurements match those of the Queen's." Livia made her way over to a large wardrobe. Sarah stood up and followed her.

"The 'Queen's' dresses? There's a Queen of the Goblin Kingdom?" Sarah asked, confused by Livia's statement. Livia's shoulders slumped as her hand rested on the knobs of the wardrobe.

"There w _as_ a Queen. But that was many, many years ago," she said quietly. She sighed and opened the doors. A few dresses resided in the wardrobe that all appeared to be in good condition. Livia pulled a dark brown dress with white trim from the rack. "Here we go! Try this on, my lady!" Sarah gave a small smile and took the dress. She bit her lip and looked around the room for discreet place to change. Livia noticed her wandering eyes and turned around to face the wardrobe. "It's alright, miss! I'll just turn around! Let me know when ya got it on and I'll lace it up in the back," she said. Sarah smiled and placed the dress on her bed. She pulled her top off and studied the dress, curious about its previous owner.

"So…this was the Queen's dress?"

"Mhmm; yes, madam."

Sarah pursed her lips and slid her shoes off as she continued to look at the dress. "Was this queen…Jareth's wife?" Sarah questioned, a hint of jealousy in her voice. She froze and furrowed her brows, taken aback by the tone. She shook her head and scolded herself as she continued to undress. Livia was silent for a few moments, then she spoke up.

"No. She was King Tero's wife, and Jareth's mother," she stated solemnly. Sarah frowned at the pain in her voice and stepped into the dress, ashamed of her "jealous" manner. She wasn't sure what to say next – or if she should say anything at all. She decided to drop the topic and she spun around, putting a smile on her face.

"Well I've got the dress on! As of right now it seems like it will fit," she said as she moved her hips, watching the dress sway from side to side. Livia turned around and she smiled, clapping her hands together.

"Oh yes, my lady! It does look like it's gonna fit," she turned Sarah around and began to lace the dress up. She finished and turned Sarah back around to get a good look at her. "Yes, ma'am! It looks amazing on you!" Sarah blushed and giggled at her comment.

"Thank you, Livia," she said. She rubbed her eyes as a loud yawn erupted from her. She placed her hand on her chest. "Oh goodness. I'm so sorry. I didn't realize how tired I was," she laughed.

"No need to apologize. I completely understand," Livia waved her hand and turned towards the wardrobe. She pulled a long white gown and looked at it, nodding in approval. "You can sleep in this! It was Estelle's favorite night gown. Made with real silk and lace from where she was born," she held it out for Sarah. Sarah smiled and grabbed the gown from her.

"Thank you so much. Would you mind helping me out of this dress?" Sarah turned and held her hair above her head.

"Not a problem, madam!" Livia untied the dress and turned to face the wardrobe once again. Sarah stepped out of it and unhooked her bra as she prepared to put on the gown. She placed the bra on her bed and slid the smooth nightgown over her. She looked up and was astonished by what she saw. On the opposite side of her bed stood a full body mirror. Sarah's head cocked to the side as she looked at her reflection. The gown was one of the prettiest things she had ever worn; and it was a _nightgown_. The bodice was made of white lace with sleeves that rested off of her shoulders, and the silk fit just snug enough to show off the curves of her body.

"Oh my," she murmured to herself. Livia spun around.

"Everything alright, my lady?"

"Yes! It's just – I don't know if I've ever worn something this…beautiful yet seductive. Especially a beautiful yet seductive nightgown."

Livia laughed and touched Sarah's arm. "It is a bit 'flirtatious' I s'pose, but that's why you wear it to bed; so others can't see ya in it."

Sarah nodded her head and raised her eyebrows. "I can't disagree with that," she said. Livia walked over to the bed and pulled the sheets down.

"Why don't you get into bed now, my lady? You deserve a good night's rest." Sarah walked over to the bed and climbed in, watching Livia as she went around and pulled the curtains over the windows. She pulled the last curtain then made her way over to Sarah. "Now if ya need me, just pull this lever right here," she placed her hand on a golden rope that hung beside Sarah's bed. "We have a bell system set up, so if ya pull it, it'll ring a bell in my room, and I'll be on my way to help ya," she stated cheerfully.

"Thank you so much, Livia. You're too kind," Sarah smiled warmly. Livia blushed and curtsied, then made her way around the room, blowing out various candles that resided on stands. She blew out the last candle, and carried one candle with her as she made her way towards the door.

"Goodnight, my lady. Sleep well." Sarah smiled as she struggled to keep her eyes open.

"Goodnight, Livia. You too."

Sarah's eyes lazily opened as she woke up. She had slept like a rock through the entire night, which didn't surprise her. Yesterday was, well….exciting, to say the least. She sat up and stretched, her arms extending high above her head. Sarah looked around her new bedroom, still in shock that she was in the Goblin Kingdom once again. She sighed and rubbed her forehead. "And so, Day One of pure Hell begins," she grumbled. She stood up from her bed and made her way towards a window, pulling the curtain back. Her eyes squinted as the sunlight leaked into her room. The window gave her a view of some of the castle grounds (that contained nothing but grass and the protective wall) and the Goblin city off in the distance. She turned around and walked over to the rope, giving it a gentle tug. She wanted to get dressed as soon as possible to see Toby. Hopefully he hadn't waken up at all during the middle of the night.

Livia soon came to Sarah's room and helped her get dressed. She put on the brown dress she had tried on last night, quickly braided her hair, and anxiously made her way to Toby's room. Sarah slowly opened the door and stepped inside, shutting it softly behind her and gazing around his room. It was set up like hers, with a bed to the right of the room and a lounge to the left. The only thing that was different was that the room was overall much smaller and had a bed made for a child. Toby rustled in his bed and he let out a big yawn. He sat up slowly and rubbed his eyes. He jumped a bit and blinked as he looked frantically around the room. Sarah noticed his alarmed look and she made her way towards him.

"Toby! Goodmorning!" Sarah beamed, trying to act as normal as possible. She sat down on his bed and rustled his hair. Toby looked at her, a confused expression on his face.

"Sarah, where are we?" Sarah's smile disappeared. _Shit, I never thought of something to tell him._ She licked her lips in thought.

"Well, Tobes, we are uh…at a…friends house," she told him. Toby's brows furrowed as he continued to look around the room.

"What friend?" he asked, a suspicious tone in his voice. Toby was smart, and Sarah had a feeling it could be hard to convince him this whole situation was "normal". She cleared her throat and continued.

"Um, a friend I knew from long ago," she answered. She noticed the rope beside his bed and remembered Crusa. They were in a whole other w _orld._ There were no goblins or fairies or odd creatures in their world, but this world was full of them. She scratched her head and forced a smile. "Yeah, it's an old friend of mine from when I was a teenager. But Toby, I need you to listen to me," she moved in close to him as her voice lowered. Toby moved in close to her.

"Okay. What is it?" he whispered back, his suspicious tone becoming an intrigued one.

"These people in this…country, are very different from us. They don't look like us or anyone else you've ever seen before. Don't ask why, okay? They just don't. So please, please, _please_ don't ask why they look different from us, okay?" Sarah begged. Toby stared at her then shrugged his shoulders.

"Okay! No problem," He grinned and gave her a thumbs up. Sarah gave a sigh of relief. _Thank god you aren't an asshole kid that asks "why" all the time._ She looked back at the golden rope and smiled. "Well, I guess now is a good time for you to meet Crusa." She pulled the rope and stood up from Toby's bed, waiting for Crusa's arrival. Moments later, Crusa opened Toby's door and stepped inside.

"Why, goodmorning, my lady! And goodmorning, Sir Toby! We haven't formally met yet. I'm Crusa," she cheered and gave a curtsy. Sarah looked nervously at Toby, afraid to see what his reaction was. Much to her surprise though, Toby had a calm, normal smile on his face. He waved at Crusa.

"Hi, Crusa! I'm Toby!" he gave her a wide grin and waved. Sarah smiled as she admired her little brother, wishing so badly she could be as kind and happy as him. As she looked at him, she thought to herself, _I pray with every piece of me, that at least_ he _enjoys his time here._


End file.
